1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to file exchanges between computers in a network environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting a file and to an apparatus and a method for receiving a file.
2. Description of Related Art
Applications based on computer networks are increasingly widespread. File exchanges occur frequently in various computer network applications such as Web file upload and download, file transmission in instant message applications such as IBM Sametime, Microsoft Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk, in attachment transmission in email applications such as Microsoft Outlook, and in file download in P2P applications such as EMULE, and BT.
In current file exchange applications, a receiving user must select a storage directory for a received file. Even if the user has established a directory structure of specific meaning, the apparatus for receiving the file employed by the user cannot automatically select a storage directory matching the file according to the file's own characteristics without user intervention.
Further, even with user intervention, it is difficult for the user to select a storage directory matching the file because of the difficulty of immediately knowing details about the received file. Moreover, user intervention can reduce the efficiency of the file exchange.